Dr. Michael Paterson
WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg welcomes International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) lake researchers, Dr. Michael Paterson and Dr. Scott Higgins as Adjunct Professors in the Faculty of Science. IISD recently assumed responsibility for the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) located past Kenora in Northwestern Ontario. ELA, which consists of 58 lakes, is recognized globally for eco-system research and long-term monitoring and tackles pressing environmental problems affecting the health of our lakes.
As Adjunct Professors, Paterson and Higgins will engage with UWinnipeg researchers, educators and students on projects at the ELA.
“We are extremely pleased to join The University of Winnipeg team and look forward to building strong ties with the university in a variety of disciplines,” said Paterson. “The University of Winnipeg has built a strong program on the environment, which we hope to contribute to. Currently, the ELA has three ongoing whole-ecosystem experiments: a long-term experiment on the causes and impacts of eutrophication (excessive algal growth), another on the impacts of water diversion and changes in water inputs to a lake, and a third on the impacts of nanosilver, a widely used anti-microbial agent. We are interested in developing new experiments on issues related to freshwater or terrestrial ecosystems. We also anticipate the Experimental Lakes Area will now be used more extensively for teaching.”
Dr. Scott Higgins in the field
The ELA also has extensive long-term datasets on climate, hydrology, water chemistry and the food webs of many lakes that are available to researchers and for student projects.
Higgins’ area of expertise is algal ecology, invasive species, and the effects of climate change. Paterson primarily specializes in invertebrate communities, contaminants (especially mercury), and the effects of eutrophication, reservoirs, and other human activities.
“With their extensive knowledge of ELA, Drs. Paterson and Higgins bring exciting new opportunities to our students and researchers in multiple disciplines – Biology, Geography and Environmental Studies and Sciences,” said Dr. James Currie, Dean of Science at UWinnipeg. “We have numerous professors and students pursuing water research and we are committed to developing and utilizing this cluster of expertise to contribute to the long-term health of our beloved lakes.”
This week, Dr. Annette Trimbee began her tenure as UWinnipeg’s new President and Vice-Chancellor and assumes an academic appointment as full Professor in the Faculty of Science (Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences). She has a background as an aquatic ecologist. Other UWinnipeg professors and researchers devoted to improving water quality and the health of our lakes include Dr. Danny Blair (Principal, Richardson College for the Environment); Dr. Charles Wong, (Canada Research Chair in Ecotoxicology); Dr. Eva Pip (Biology); Dr. Scott Forbes (Biology); Dr. Nora Casson (Geography); Dr. Judith Huebner (Chair, Biology); Dr. Diane Orihel (Visiting Scholar); Dr. Joni Storie (Geography); Dr. Bill Buhay (Geography); and Dr. Darshani Kumaragamage (Environmental Studies and Sciences).
MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Senior Communications Specialist, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
